Sente
by Dragon Rhapsody
Summary: Sai left Hikaru, but he didn't actually disappear. He just... moved host. Unfortunately, his new host isn't exactly cooperative.
1. Gote

All Ogata wanted to do when he got home was to sit, have a cigarette, review the match he just played and perhaps drink before retiring for the night. He believed that he would carry those string of events to his deathbed without failure.

When he stepped out of the shower with towel draped around his neck, ice cold beer in hand, he stepped into his bedroom to start placing stones on the goban. However, just when he cracked the alcoholic beverage open, he found himself rooted to the ground.

Long purple hair that reflected the moonlight was the first thing he noticed, followed by the very strange way the person was dressed. _Noshi_? Who in their right mind still dress like that? If he thought Touya-sensei was traditional, this person must be downright historic.

"Hey!" Ogata raised his voice, and he could see the intruder's shoulders tense. "What are you doing here?!" He leaned forward to roughly grab the man, or woman's shoulder.

"Uwaah!" They squealed, with a voice that was leaning towards male.

His next sentence would be 'get out of here', had he not find himself unable to speak. His palm certainly was touching the man's shoulder, but he couldn't feel warmth or the smoothness of fabric. In fact, he felt nothing at all.

"You can see me, Ogata-sensei?" The man practically grinned, expression so bright he might as well be a lightbulb.

"What do you _mean_ you can see me?" He flinched at the strange question, not any less odd than the noshi he wore. "Are you mocking me?" Ogata spat out, thinking that just because he wore glasses didn't mean that he was blind.

"Mock you? I would _never_!" The stranger quickly denied.

"Explain yourself before I call the cops." The blond demanded impatiently.

"That's not really gonna do you any good, though..." At the raised eyebrows, he stood up and cleared his throat. "I am..." He placed his hands on his hips. "Fujiwara no Sai! Yes, the very same Sai that you have been obsessing over! I also happen to be a ghost, and from now on I will be haunting you!"

Ogata could feel his glasses slip. "Excuse me?"

"Now please tell Hikaru that I haven't disappeared. The poor boy's been looking for me and forfeiting all his matches! Please give him an earful, Ogata-sensei!"

The blond put his fingers on his chin, pondering about what move he should take next. He then grabbed his cell phone out of his pocket and said, "Hospital."

"No! They won't be able to see me anyway!" Sai grabbed Ogata's hand. "Hikaru! Call Hikaru!" The self-proclaimed ghost cried out.

"I am _not_ calling Shindou." He struggled to free his hand so that he could continue to dial the number. "You are clearly delusional and need immediate treatment."

"B-but!" Sai pouted, lips tightening into a pout. "He can't see me and no one else can. Only you can help me."

"Yes, I certainly can help you by calling the hospital."

"Please!" Sai fell on his knees and practically was hugging Ogata's feet. "Ogata-sensei, you are my only hope!"

"Let go of me!" The 9-dan complained and moved backwards only to drag Sai with him, teary eyed and all. "Let go or I swear, I _will_ call the cops." But that statement didn't seem to faze the strange man as he kept sobbing and gripped him even tighter than before. After a few more seconds of struggles from both parties, Ogata sighed in defeat. That was apparently enough to make Sai release him.

Still eyeing the intruder with suspicion, he finally deemed that he was more of a nuisance than a threat. Claiming that he was _Sai_? Pah! How laughable. Sai probably didn't even know Ogata's existence. No one had ever met him in person, and there was no plausible explanation as to why he decided to show up in his bedroom out of the blue.

"You don't believe me." Sai sulked.

"Do you expect me to?"

"Hikaru did."

"Well, unfortunately I am not an airhead like he is." The man mocked.

Sai was running out of ideas to convince Ogata when he laid his eyes upon the goban. That's it! "What about a game? If I win, you have to call Hikaru."

The blond let out a dry chuckle. "Surely you jest." He smirked. "I'm a 9-dan player and there is no way an unknown amateur like you would stand a chance. You wouldn't even make it past early game."

There was no tint of hesitation or fear in Sai's eyes as he snapped open the fan he had been holding to cover his lips. "I never joke about go."

Ogata was about to flatly refuse the challenge, but the aura emitted from the man in front of him somehow stopped his thought processes. It reminded him of... reminded him of Shindou. That look, that sheer intensity. "Alright, I'll humour you." He smiled before assuming a seiza. "Place as many stones as you'd like."

Sai followed suit and sat opposite the professional, eyes not leaving the man for even a split second. "We will play an even game."

"Very bold," He pushed his glasses up his nose. Ogata was not going to go easy on him. In fact, he was going to annihilate him so hard, he wished he never made claims that he was Sai. "I'll let you have black."

The man in _noshi_ nodded as the other grabbed his bowl of stones and expected Sai to do the same. However, he didn't. "Ogata-sensei, I cannot touch the stones." He broke the silence, attempting to grab the bowl only to have his hand passing through it.

At that, Ogata paled. He closed his eyes and shook his head as if trying to sober up. He hadn't even _had_ anything to drink yet. Was it some sort of optical illusion? If that's the case, it wasn't entertaining in the slightest. After a moment of silence, he let out a long sigh. Maybe it was time to change his glasses. _"I must be crazy._ " He thought, grabbing Sai's bowl of stones.

"4-4 _hoshi_." The slender man started, and Ogata could do nothing but comply.

Both players started building frameworks for their _chuban_. Everything was calm for the time being with the occasional stones placed close to the other's territories. Not much, just to test the waters and see how the other would react.

"You're certainly fairly confident in your skill." Ogata couldn't resist a smirk at the bold _hane_ that his opponent just played.

"From experience comes confidence, Ogata-sensei." Sai answered shortly, eyes still looking at the goban. "12-5 _hasami_."

The 9-dan observed the board, trying to figure out what the stranger was trying to pull. It was quite an unorthodox hand. Maybe there was some meaning behind it? Or perhaps just an amateur placing stones anywhere that look good.

Fifteen minutes passed, and Ogata couldn't help but squint and wonder how this Sai could evenly match him. He hadn't exactly slacked off and underestimated him. In fact, he was doing the exact opposite. He wanted to truly and thoroughly crush the _noshi_ clad man to the point of beyond help. Discreetly, his eyes shifted from the board to his opponent, trying to figure out who he exactly is.

 _"_ _He can't be Sai. There is no reason why the man who had been hiding in the shadows for years would come here, of all place."_ He rolled a white stone between his fingers as he continued mulling over which move would be best. _"A ghost? Can't touch the stones? What bullcrap. He's obviously just toying with me."_ Ogata placed the stone right next to his already existing one to cut black's territory. _"That clump is dead."_

Sai, however, begged to differ. As soon as he said his moves, the bespectacled man's expression dropped. It was _his_ stones that were threatened. The strange _hane_ that was played now caused him a world of trouble. Ogata tightened his fingers into a fist and brought it close to his lips. There must be some way to make white live. It was humiliating how he could just feel that the long-haired man was smiling.

 _"_ _In that case I'll just threaten this."_ He responded by threatening to connect on the bottom left corner where black was the weakest. If black responds, he would then try to connect to his soon-to-be-dead stone.

As the game progressed, it was becoming clear who the winner was. He had failed to save his stones and now he was short on territories. Running through the possibilities, he calculated that he would lose by 4 and a half moku.

 _"_ _That's impossible."_ Ogata bit his lower lip. "Who are you?"

The man said nothing but merely closed his fan with a noise that made Ogata flinch. "I told you, Ogata-sensei. I am Sai."

"But that's impossible!" The blond raised his voice, quickly coming to a stand. "What business could _Sai_ possibly have with me?" It was just illogical. The Sai he had in mind was a man of Touya-sensei's age, stern and intimidating, not this delusional, excitable and childish young man in his 20s.

"I want you to relay a message to Hikaru." He responded. At Ogata's confusion, Sai sighed. "I know it's hard to believe, but I really am a spirit. When I disappeared, I thought I have fulfilled my unfinished business, but… But instead, I appeared here. I tried to go back to Hikaru, but I don't think he can see me. You're my only hope, Ogata-sensei. I know that he forfeited his matches to find me. I can't stand to see it! Please, you have to help me."

The owner of the house made a dry chuckle. "You know this sound _absolutely_ insane, right? A ghost? Sai is a _ghost_?" He ran his hand through his hair while pacing around the room. "You know what? I'm going to lie down, and I'm sure everything will return to normal."

"But I won!"

"That means nothing. I didn't promise you anything, you mad man! This is just a dream. That must be it."

"Hikaru was right. I hate you too now! Hmph!" Sai sulked once more. That didn't last long however, as the addressed male has now lied down to sleep. "Ogata-sensei! Don't sleep! Hikaru is still out there. We need to go to him!"

Ogata chose to ignore the screaming man and instead cover his ears with pillow, constantly trying to convince himself that it was just one ridiculous dream. He would wake up tomorrow, goban clean and no one in the room but himself.

That didn't go to plan it seemed as when he put his glasses on in the morning, the same figure was _still_ there, in a seiza position in front of the goban with yesterday's game. The can of beer was still left untouched next to the door.

"What a boring go…" He heard the man muttered.

Feeling offended, Ogata crossed his arms and raised his voice. " _Boring_ go?"

"Good morning, Ogata-sensei." Sai smiled excitedly.

"Is there anything wrong with a boring go? I win most of my games, isn't that what matters?" The man asked impatiently. He knew that he was pretty much a walking Go How-To Textbook 101. Because he thought as long as he got the basics down a hundred percent right, there was no way he would lose.

"Don't you ever try to find your own playstyle?"

"I don't really need to." He retorted shortly before crossing his arms. "So it wasn't a dream, after all."

"I keep telling you!"

"Well, excuse me for not believing that you are a spirit. You'll find any normal adult would also struggle to." Ogata shrugged, still sceptical. "So, tell me the truth. Who are you and what do you have to do with Shindou?"

Sai sighed exasperatedly. "My answer won't change no matter how many times you ask me. My name is Fujiwara no Sai. I used to be Hikaru's ghost until a week ago when he suddenly could no longer see me."

"And no matter how many times I hear it, it won't get any less ridiculous." Ogata grabbed the can of beer from the ground. "But I do have to admit, your go reminds me of Sai's."

"So, you believe me?"

"No." He said, much to Sai's dismay. "So far, what you're saying is not making a lick of sense." Ogata scoffed and walked away from the bedroom. He wanted the stranger to leave, but at the same time he found himself fascinated at his go. Perhaps they could play a few more games before he decides what to do with the situation.

Sai trailed after the blond to the kitchen where he fiddled with the coffee maker. "When are we going to see Hikaru?"

"I don't know where he is." Ogata mumbled.

"Aren't you curious why he suddenly doesn't show up to his games?" Sai insisted. "He thought I'm gone. He's looking for me right now and he said he won't play until he finds me."

"Who are you to him?" He asked mockingly while grabbing a mug.

"I'm Sai. I'm his teacher. It's because of me he picked up go to begin with."

"I'm going to stop you right there." Ogata raised his hand. "Shindou said that he doesn't have a teacher."

"Because he can't say otherwise!" The long-haired man said for the thousandth time. "I'm not real! Even if he did say he has a teacher, they won't be able to see me. Ogata-sensei, please trust me."

"I'll think about it, alright?" The bespectacled man grumbled in frustration at the man's persistence to convince him that he was not organic. Ogata shook his head. He had to get it together. In a couple of hours, he has his tutoring session with the Meijin and he would not let himself get distracted.

"Please think faster!" Sai pouted.

The 9-dan rolled his eyes before he grabbed his cup of coffee and walked back to his bedroom to sit in front of the goban, reviewing yesterday's match against Sai. He had been way too shocked to be able to understand completely what made him lose.

 _"_ _There's no doubt about it. These are Sai's hands."_ He thought while stealing a glance at the man. _"Is he really the real deal? If so, what is he doing here? How did he get in? How did he know where to find me? His story can't be real. There must be something he isn't telling me."_

"This was where you misread my intentions." Sai pointed at one of the stones with his fan. "Had you not played a textbook move and trust your instinct, perhaps you could've prevented my next move and render my stone completely useless."

 _"_ _Indeed,"_ Ogata pondered while taking a sip of his coffee. The man's go skill was not something to be trifled with. It was almost intimidating how young he was and how much skill he possessed. It reminded him of Hikaru. "So, you _are_ Sai?"

"I keep telling you!" Sai waved his arms about. "When Hikaru beat Touya for the first time, it was me who played the game. He had never even touched a goban back then!"

That would make sense. That would make a lot of sense. Ogata always wondered how Hikaru's skill fluctuated so much in the early days. But if Sai was guiding his hands, he certainly would have won. But that would mean he had to admit that Sai is indeed, a spirit. That is simply outrageous! "Alright, I believe you."

"Really?"

"I believe that you are Sai. I do not believe that you are a spirit."

"Even when I can do this?" Sai reached out to the goban, only to have his arm passing through it, appearing on the other side. He could visibly see the blood draining from Ogata's face. Poor man seemed like he was about to pass out.

"I-" The blond stammered. "I didn't know Sai is also a magician."

Sai was about to pull his hair out at that point. No matter what he said or did, Ogata just wouldn't trust him! In that case, he had to pull out his trump card. "Let's go outside! I can promise you that no one's going to be able to see me!"

"I will call Shindou if that's really the case." He answered firmly, confident that it would not happen.

"Promise?" Sai curled his lips.

"Promise."

"Pinky promise!" The man in _noshi_ stuck out his pinky. "Hikaru said pinky promise can never be broken!"

At the childish gesture, Ogata could not help but scoff mockingly and copied the gesture. Sai wrapped his pinky around Ogata's and there it was, that strange sensation of nothingness.

After his morning shower, Ogata put on his usual white suit and tie before going into the car to drive towards the Meijin's house for their tutoring session. When he stepped into the residence, he was prepared for the "who is that" questions, but none came.

It was odd how everyone else completely ignored the man behind him. All they did was greet Ogata and started the lesson. He found himself unable to focus as he tried to find a reason _why_ they didn't say anything. Could it be that they are in cahoot with Sai and tried to screw with his mind? Did he got drugged and now he was hallucinating? Ogata had no idea what was happening anymore.

Sai however, he focused on every single syllable that came out of the Meijin's lips. It was an honour to attend and he was not about to let such an opportunity slip out of his hands.

"Ogata-sensei, pay attention!" Sai grabbed his shoulder and started shaking him.

"Are you alright, Ogata-sensei?" The Meijin's son, Touya enquired when he saw that the 9-dan was moving side to side in a strange way.

"Y-yes." He cleared his throat. "I'm perfectly fine."

In reality, Ogata was far from fine. He had always been a man who relied on logic more than anything else. A ghost co-existing with human was far from logical. However, no one in the room seemed to be able to see Sai. Sai also couldn't touch any items or anyone else. What would explain such strange occurrence? He didn't know.

One thing he knew though, he had to speak with Hikaru to find out more about Sai. He had to make sure that he wasn't cursed or anything, and that it was all just one bad dream. Ogata _needed_ to know that his mind was still intact. Hopefully Hikaru would be able to confirm it once and for all.


	2. Kikashi

Ogata shook his head for the thousandth time that afternoon, convinced that he was going nuts. Currently, he was standing outside a medium-sized go salon that Sai had directed them to. Apparently, it was the one that Hikaru usually visit.

As soon as he opened the door, a few customers stopped whatever they were doing and instead stared the man dressed in white suit. Adjusting his glasses, he walked up to the lady at the reception and rested both of his arms on the counter, ignoring the fact that she looked a little but puzzled by his presence.

"Has Shindou Hikaru been here lately?" He asked.

Before the lady could answer, a man emerged and called him. "Good afternoon, Ogata-sensei. If you're looking for Shindou-pro, he hasn't been here for a few weeks."

"Hm," Ogata looked at the man who he assumed was the owner of the salon. "I heard a man named Kawai met him a few days ago."

"Yes, actually he went with Shindou-pro to Kyoto. Visiting Honinbo Shusaku's grave, apparently."

"Shusaku's grave?" The blond pondered the fact that he just heard, ignoring Sai's cries from behind him. "What business could he possibly have over there?"

"I'm not too sure myself." The owner shrugged, a smile plastered on his face. "All I know was that he seemed like he was in a rush, like he was looking for something."

"Now, Ogata-sensei! We have to find Hikaru now!" Sai was pretty much in tears at that point as he clenched Ogata's shoulders tightly.

Growing a little bit more accustomed to the so-called spirit's childlike attitude, Ogata brushed it off with a mildly uncomfortable look on his face. "I see. Thank you for your help." He said before leaving.

Once he got back into his car, he rested his arms on the steering wheel and sighed, looking at Sai who seemed restless. "Honinbo Shusaku?" He queried.

"Torajiro, such a lovely man." Sai smiled. "Before Hikaru, I was with him. All of his games had been mine."

Hearing that, Ogata opened his eyes wide and grabbed Sai's shoulder with such force that he almost fell backwards. "You? You played all of his games?" The other male stammered for a moment, taken aback by the sudden movement. In that timespan, Ogata chuckled to himself and released his grip on Sai. "Look at me talking as if I've accepted the fact that you're a ghost."

"I think it's going to be so much better on you if you do accept that fact." Sai huffed impatiently with that childlike tone of his.

"Alright, we're going to Shindou's place." He turned the key and the car hummed to life. The spirit seemed to be excited at the concept of being inside a car, something that Ogata found quite endearing.

 _"_ _Endearing?"_ He repeated his thought in a mocking tone, as if trying to stop himself from growing a crush on a ghost.

The drive wasn't too bad. Sai had remembered where Hikaru live, thankfully, so he didn't have to ask around for his address. As soon as he parked, he saw the boy with bleached bangs opening the front door of his house with a dejected expression.

"Hikaru!" Sai yelled out when Ogata lowered the window. "Hikaru, I'm over here! Hikaru!" He screamed out again and again. However, the addressed boy didn't react. He kept walking, head projected to the ground.

"Shindou," The man in suit walked out of the car, grabbing the kid's attention while Sai scrambled towards him, only to not be noticed. "Can I talk to you for a bit?"

Hikaru visibly winced and bit his lower lip before turning heel and prepared himself to run. Before that could happen, Ogata grabbed his arm and by force, dragged him kicking and screaming before throwing him into his car.

"This is going to sound _absolutely_ insane and I would like you to tell me that I am." The older man said with his face so close to the boy's, hands still gripped tightly on his wrists.

"You're insane!" Hikaru screamed out right away without any hint of remorse. "Let go of me or I'll scream!"

"It's about Sai." It worked like a charm. Hikaru seemed to be stunned. He then jerked his head upwards, so his eyes met Ogata's.

Then he frowned. "I keep telling you I know nothing about him."

"Shindou, is Sai… _was_ Sai, a spirit?"

Hikaru paled in an instant, eyes wide open. "W-what?" He stuttered, looking at the man with uncertainty. Ogata didn't miss it, however. Hope flashed across his eyes.

"Now, please tell me that I am out of my mind." Ogata adjusted his glasses, nervously waiting for an answer that unfortunately didn't come. Or perhaps Hikaru was too gobsmacked by how deranged he sounded that he ran out of insult to spout. At the silence, he covered his nose and mouth using both of his hands and sighed. "Shindou, your Sai is in tears right now. It's a view almost as embarrassing as the idea of me believing in spirits."

"Sai is here?!" Hikaru yelled out before proceeding to looked around but failed to spot anyone who remotely looked like his best friend. "Where is he?" He grabbed Ogata's suit so tight he feared he might tear a hole. "You better not be lying to me."

It was rather entertaining to see Hikaru was the one pretty much nearly choking him to death by the way he gripped his clothes. How the table has turned.

"He's behind you."

Hikaru immediately loosened his grip on Ogata before turning around to face nothingness. "Sai?" He called out, reaching for something that he couldn't see. "Sai are you really there?"

"Yes, Hikaru. I'm here." The spirit replied, extending his hand to hover above Hikaru's. "I haven't left you."

"Ogata-san! Is he saying anything?" The boy turned to face the bespectacled man, tears falling from his eyes down to his chin.

"He said he's here and that he hasn't left you." Ogata repeated, realising the fact that from now one he was going to be a messenger for the two. Everything still felt so surreal to him. "He said he wants you to stop forfeiting your matches."

"I will, Sai! I will." Hikaru promised. "I thought I've lost you forever..." His entire body shook with happiness as he lowered his hands. "You know, I went to Kyoto, to Torajiro's grave hoping that you'd be there. What do I know? You've been here all along. Silly of me, huh?"

"Yes, very silly!" Sai reprimanded, waving his arms about on the air, making those ridiculously long sleeves of his flap around like wings. "Even if I truly disappear, I don't want you to ever stop playing go. You have such talent." He replied, which was repeated by Ogata.

Hikaru wiped his tears using the sleeves of his shirt before replying, "Well, I feel like if I play without you, you'd be truly gone. It's so final... I didn't want that."

Sai attempted to hit Hikaru on the head only for his fist to go right through the boy. "You have to promise you will never stop playing go as long as you are still enjoying it!"

"We'll have to see." He grinned, stains of tears still clear on his cheeks. "How do you end up being with the creep anyway?"

"Excuse me?" Ogata cut in, ignoring what Sai said.

"I mean... Ogata-san." Hikaru rectified, noticing the fact that from now on 'the creep' was his only way of communicating with Sai. He shuddered at the thought of having to be buddy-buddy with him.

"I'm not too sure myself. I just found myself suddenly sitting in front of Ogata-sensei's goban. It was very strange for me! I even tried to look for you at your place, but you couldn't seem to see me." Sai flailed while his every word was being repeated by Ogata.

"What?" The younger boy laughed. "You know how to get to my place? That's pretty impressive, Sai."

"Sorry to cut your conversation short but I have somewhere I need to go to." Ogata tapped his fingers impatiently on the backrest of the front chair while still leaning into the car. He'd planned to go to Hikaru in order to confirm that he indeed, was mental. But apparently that didn't go as planned.

"Wait!" The boy with bleached bang quickly raised, grabbing his arm. "I'll join you. I want to talk more to Sai."

Ogata let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Buckle up, then." As soon as he turned his back, he could somewhat hear Hikaru whispering "Yes!" in the background. It made him smile a little bit. Like teacher like student it seemed.

"You know," The boy grinned, resting both of his arms around the headrest of the front seat. "You're actually pretty nice, Ogata-san."

"You're just saying that because you need me." He muttered, hitting the bull's eye it seemed. He took one long whiff of his cigarette and exhaled it outside through the open window. The car was moving steadily towards the pet shop that he wanted to visit that day. "I think I should know the full story, Shindou."

"I guess." He shrugged. "I met Sai over a couple of years ago when I was in elementary school. Back then I wasn't interested in go in the slightest."

"If I recall correctly, 6th grade was when you first beat Touya." He said as he took a right turn.

"That was Sai's go, not mine. Gradually, all this go I've played for him made me interested too. That was when my skill suddenly seemed to fall. Though I'm a quick learner, isn't that right Sai?" Hikaru beamed.

In which Sai merely said, "Because you have a wonderful teacher, after all!"

Ogata relayed his words to Hikaru, slightly shaking his head while smiling. The dynamic between the two was rather endearing, not like the one he had imagined prior to meeting Sai. "So, what you're saying is that the go that I have been searching in you all this time was Sai's?"

Hikaru scratched the back of his head and pursed his lips. "I suppose so."

"I can't believe I'm actually taking in this farfetched story." Ogata let go of the steering wheel for a split second just to adjust his glasses, cigarette still dangling from his right hand.

"Now you know why I can't tell anyone about Sai! Not even when you pin me against the wall. You'll just think I was crazy."

 _"_ _He has a point."_ The older man nodded lightly. "So, you said something about disappearing." He glanced over to the seat next to him, empty in Hikaru's eyes.

"I knew it was coming." Sai calmly explained. "It was shortly after the match against Touya-sensei that I felt so enlightened, so free. I regretted the fact that I never did get to play you seriously, Ogata-sensei."

"Are you saying that we've played before?" Ogata raised one of his eyebrows.

"Yes, through Hikaru. Right after you won against Touya-sensei. You were intoxicated, I believe." He let out a soft chuckle.

"So that was you who played. Not Shindou." Nodding in understanding, Ogata started to make sense of the whole situation and the mystery surrounding Shindou Hikaru. "Well, I suppose now we have time to play." The car came to a complete stop before he turned the engine off, grabbed the key and walked out. Hikaru followed suit.

Hikaru was surprised that pet shop was the destination Ogata had in mind. That man didn't strike him as someone who would own pets. He was so serious all the time, after all. He had assumed he didn't want anything to do with another living being inside his apartment.

Ogata completed his purchase of fish feeds before they hopped back into the car. Sai had explained more about his past inside the store, telling him about his past, how we got accused of cheating and how he had drowned himself out of shame. It was a tragic story. As a go player, being accused of cheating was the highest form of humiliation.

Hikaru only heard what Ogata said and not Sai but he knew that they were talking about what happened to Sai and how he couldn't rest. He silently wished that he would be able to see his friend once more. Because even though Ogata could relay his messages, it was different. It sucked just talking to emptiness.

"Shindou, I'm grabbing lunch now. Did you want me to drop you off somewhere or did you want to join me?"

"I'll join you!" He replied immediately.

Ogata found it _extremely_ amusing to see Hikaru, who seemed to borderline hate him, now excited at the prospect of spending time with him. Well, it was because of Sai, but still. To innocent passer-by's, it would seem like the kid actually liked him.

They made their next stop at an Italian restaurant. Both men and one spirit sat down on the seat near the big window pane overlooking the street. They made their order.

Ogata decided it was a little bit too warm to be wearing his suit, so he took it off, leaving him only with the trademark blue shirt and tie of his.

"I trust you will attend your next match in 5 days?" He confirmed.

"I will." Hikaru promised, his hands clasped around the glass of water in front of him, fingers drumming nervously on it.

"Something in your mind?" Asked Ogata who now rested both of his arms on the table and leaned forward to inspect the boy's facial expression.

"Does it bother you that it wasn't my go that you were looking for?"

He spotted the insecurity in his tone and immediately realised the supressed emotion that he must've been swallowing. All this time when people seemed to be taken by him, he probably thought that they were only interested in Sai's go, not his. They overlooked his own growth and ability in favour of a polished go, forged through hundreds of years.

"It doesn't change the fact that the speed in which you improve is rather frightening as it is fascinating." He replied without any intention of comforting him, he was merely telling the truth. "Your go isn't bad. It just isn't as good as Sai's." Continued Ogata as he leaned back onto the seat. "I will still keep an eye on you, Shindou."

The boy tried to supress it, but Ogata could tell he was satisfied with the answer. He relaxed his grip on the glass of water. "Ogata-san, is it okay if I play Sai after this?" Asked Hikaru hesitantly.

"Only if you promise you'll be a good boy." He teased.

"I'm always good." The boy crossed his arms.

"After my game." Ogata looked at Sai who had been sitting next to Hikaru, observing their conversation. The spirit nodded in excitement at the thought of playing both of them one after the other.

.

Sai was strong. Everyone was right to admire him. He was everything that Ogata had hoped he would be and more.

Counting black and white's territories in a blink of an eye, he once again could visualise himself losing by 4 and a half moku. Sai's go was efficient—every move was there for a purpose and he didn't make mistake. In fact, when he did seem to make one, it had always been a trap. Just how far ahead can that guy read the game?

At that point, he was over trying to deny Sai's claims that he was a spirit. He found himself no longer cared for such trivial matter. All he cared about was playing against such a strong opponent and how much he would improve.

"I resign." Ogata bowed in defeat, in admiration, in awe. When he looked up at Sai, he had his fan covering his lips, mulling over the moves on the board.

"Your go is very cold, Ogata-sensei." He commented. "You rely too much on logic."

"And tell me how that's a bad thing." The bespectacled blond glanced at Hikaru who frowned at the board, seemingly thinking the exact same thing as Sai.

"Go is a game about both intuition and logic. You shouldn't focus too much on one thing." The man with long hair said. "Your go is like a lion that is chained and caged. It is terrifying to face, but it is not able to reign."

Ogata said nothing. He understood that analogy perfectly. When playing Sai's hand, he could feel something resonate within him. He wasn't sure what exactly it was, but he was keen to find out.

After they reviewed the game, it was Hikaru's turn to play. It was a wonderful game, Ogata had concluded. Hikaru had improved. Those weeks of not playing a single game somehow, someway, empowered him. It felt strange, however, to be playing someone while it wasn't him who actually played.

The game ended with Hikaru's resignation, but it was a game to be remembered.

A smile bloomed on the boy's lips and tears threatened to drop from his shiny eyes. "It's really you, Sai."

Still in seiza, Ogata started to wonder just how close the two had been. Gauging from Hikaru's sudden disappearance from the go world, they must've been joined at the hips. He didn't really understand the significance of emotional attachment so tried as he might, he couldn't sympathise with the boy. No matter who was going to leave, Ogata would never dream of giving up go.

He wasn't sure what to do when Hikaru started sobbing in front of him, hands clenched his shorts and head tilted downwards. This had never been his forte and wasn't about to be any time soon. He awkward sat there, wondering if he should stay or leave.

"I thought I've lost you, I really did." He whispered softly.

Ogata glanced at Sai who had a comforting smile on his face as he shuffled next to Hikaru and looked at the boy with eyes that weren't short of affection. After a few seconds of silence and sobs, Ogata stood up and approached Hikaru only to sat next to him on the left side whereas Sai on the right. He placed his hand on Hikaru's back in a sorry attempt to comfort the boy.

Hikaru tensed under him and looked at him for a moment before he smiled and chuckled. "What? This doesn't suit you at all, Ogata-san." Said the younger male amidst the sobs.

He couldn't help but smirk. "Brat." Without pulling his hand back, Ogata said. "I can't claim to understand what you're feeling, but if this will help you to regain your footing then you should let it out." It would be a shame to waste a talent like Hikaru's, after all.

And let it out he did. His sobs grew louder, and body started shaking to the point where Ogata felt the need to round his arm around the boy, pulling him into an embrace. It felt odd to indulge someone in their emotional breakdown. Ogata had always find such outburst unnecessary. He silently wondered what changed his mind at that very moment.

.

Hikaru was fast asleep. His eyes swollen and nose red from the emotion that spilled out. He wasn't sure how, but they ended up on the couch in his living room, the boy's head resting on his lap. Ogata just hoped that he wouldn't drool.

Sai was sitting next to Ogata, looking at his student, his best friend before switching his glance at the man in front of him. "You are surprisingly gentle, Ogata-sensei. I have to admit, I made you out to be an ice cold statue. Guess I was wrong."

"Trust me, I'm not usually like this."

Sai smiled gently and Ogata found his cheeks heating up involuntarily. "You should be more like this, then. It's very charming."

He shrugged, not knowing what he could say without unceremoniously stuttering. Instead, he looked at the sleeping 15 years old on his lap, expression nothing like how it was a few minutes ago. He silently thought about how nice it would be to develop a human connection like the one Hikaru and Sai had, or something even more.

Perhaps that was the key to step up his go.

Hikaru stirred in his sleep and Ogata couldn't resist a small smile.


	3. Honte

"You coming to grab lunch with us Shindou?" Waya asked, one hand clutching the shoe rack and the other on the back of the shoe he was trying to put on. He then tapped it a few times against the ground to adjust its position. Isumi was next to him just waiting for his other two friends to ready up, glancing at clock idly.

"I'm grabbing ramen with Ogata-san today." Answered Hikaru half-apologetically. That statement made both of his friends raise their eyebrows.

"Funny because as far as I'm concerned, you seem to hate his guts. Are you getting tutoring session or something? Can I come too?" The brunette's eyes lit up a little at the thought of having lesson with Ogata 10-dan, leaving Isumi wondering what had caused the sudden shift Hikaru's perception of the man but excited at the thought of learning from the title holder himself.

"Yeah, he was kind of a creep in the beginning but now that I've gotten to know him better, he's actually a pretty cool guy." Resting his hands on the back of his head, Hikaru grinned. "Plus, riding in that snazzy sports car of his feels pretty sick. Oh, he also takes me to all these fancy restaurants. It's great."

"What, he sounds like your dad now." Waya laughed. "Well, when you're buddy-buddy with all the pros, don't forget about us, okay? We were friends with you first."

As if on cue, a red car stopped at the entrance of the Go association and the driver's window rolled down to reveal no other than Ogata Seiji, He rested his arm on the window space, letting his elbow poke outside, nodding at both Isumi and Waya as a way to greet them.

"I'll catch you two later!" Hikaru waved, then proceeded to run for the car, only barely hearing them reply with "See you" before he jumped into the car. "Hey!" He closed the door and threw his bag on the back seat then immediately pulled on the lever under the seat to lounge.

"How was your match?" Sai asked excitedly.

"Here we go!" The boy in question took out a kifu paper from his pocket and showed it to the left side of the back seat, where he guessed Sai was. The spirit, however, was on the right side and he had to shuffle to the left to take a look at the paper.

There was a momentary silent as he quickly recorded the game and processed it in his mind. "It's a beautiful game."

Hearing that coming from Sai, Ogata repeated what the spirit had said while taking one hand off the steering wheel to ruffle Hikaru's hair.

"Euurgh, stop it!" The boy complained, annoyed that he was treating him just like Kawai always does. "I'm 16, you know? Geez." He sulked, crossing his arms in a manner that was very Sai-like.

"With the way you and Sai act, there is no way I would treat you like an adult." Ogata mocked, a smile clear on his face. It never ceased to amaze him how similar the two were—made him wonder if others pictured Ogata like the Meijin.

"At least I don't have terrible taste in music." He retaliated, fingers working the dial on the radio, only stopping when he heard a song he liked. He cranked the volume up until Ogata shook his head, half in distaste, half in amusement. He knew exactly what that song was. " _Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past, you must fight just to keep them alive_..." Hikaru hummed in English with accent as heavy as lead it almost made Ogata laugh out loud. He wouldn't claim that his English was perfect either, but at least he was better than the boy.

" _It's the eye of the tiger, it's the cream of the fight_." Both of them sang out, head moving from side to side, singing in perfect harmony without missing a single word until the song came to an end. The whole time, Sai watched them with an amused expression on his face. He didn't understand the language, of course, but it was refreshing to see the two interacting with each other. He would have never imagined that this would ever happen, by the way that Hikaru would badmouth the older male.

"You suck at singing, Ogata-san!" Hikaru cracked up laughing after hearing the off-tune voice of the 10-dan.

"It might take you by surprise, but go players don't exactly need to know how to sing."

"What do you think Sai? He sucks right?" He turned to face the back seat where he could see no one, but the other man could.

"I think Ogata-sensei's singing voice is rather adorable." The spirit giggled.

"W—" Ogata stammered, not expecting that response by a long shot. Before he could embarrass himself, lose concentration and kill everyone in the car, he cleared his throat.

"What did he say? What did he saaay?" Hikaru rocked on the seat back and forth, desperately wanting to know what made the cold and stoic Ogata so flustered.

"He said you are a terrible singer too."

"I did not!" Sai punched Ogata's shoulders repeatedly.

"Fine, fine!" He raised his shoulder to stop the assault directed at him. "He said my singing voice was… uh…" Blood raised to his cheeks as he adjusted his glasses due to the sudden raise in temperature.

"Horrendous?"

"No. I'm not saying it." Replied Ogata, streaks of red still plastered on his cheeks.

Hikaru blinked and was silent momentarily before a shit-eating grin grew on his face. "You're blushing. That's so creepy. Did you get complimented? Did Sai said that your voice was adorable?" He rolled down the window and stuck his face out. "Ogata-san likes Sai!"

"Brat!" He panicked, grabbing Hikaru by the shirt from behind and dragged him back inside while closing the window at the same time. His hand quickly found its way to his hair and ruffled them like there was no tomorrow.

"Owowowow!" He tried to push Ogata's hand away to no avail.

It was starting to be their everyday, Hikaru would finish a match or retire for the day from the go salon and Ogata usually would try to adjust his schedule so both of them would be able to grab some lunch or dinner together. The boy would talk to Sai and Ogata would relay what Sai said while joining in the conversation himself. Sometimes they would play at Ogata's unnecessarily large apartment until late at night when occasionally Hikaru would stay over. For that reason, he had prepared a futon on the foot of his bed. At times, Hikaru would jump onto his oversized bed, claiming that he was selfish for hogging it all to himself.

Today was one of those days. Sai was analysing kifu from Go weekly magazines scattered all over the floor while Hikaru was held up by a phone call with his mum, scratching his head in frustration as he tried to explain why he had been spending time away from home at least once a week. Ogata sat in front of the goban, analysing the game he just finished against Sai.

It had never been that lively in his apartment before. He usually hated the commotion, hence why he hardly ever brought anyone over. When he was home, he wanted to be alone with NetGo, cigarette and beer. He wasn't sure why he didn't mind the noise nowadays.

"Distracted, Ogata-sensei?" Sai's voice snapped him back to reality. "How unlike you. Something on your mind?"

 _"_ _I said I'll be fine! Yeah, I'm fine. I'm with a senpai from the go association."_ In the background, they could hear Hikaru's loud voice.

Ogata shook his head, eyes focusing on one particular cluster of stones on the top right corner. "I can't believe how brilliant your hands are."

 _"_ _Yeah, he has a really nice suit and awesome car. I'm gonna be fine!"_

"But you are not any less skilled. In fact, I think your go is slowly changing, for the better." Sai gave him a warm smile as he assumed a seiza next to him. "Thank you for taking care of Hikaru."

"A compliment from the internet legend Sai is something to be proud of." He took one stone from the bowl and placed it on the board, removing the wrong move that he had made on turn 120. It had costed him the game. "And I should be the one thanking you. You are the reason why he picked up go in the first place."

 _"_ _What? Yeah, I've had food. Look, I'm probably gonna do this next week too. Stop bugging me—I said that it's not far!"_

"Is he always a handful like that?" Ogata took a sip of the ice cold beer next to him.

"I don't think he is at all!" Sai denied, shooting up to his feet and put his hands on his hips, chest pushed forward. He looked just like a proud father. "Hikaru is a brilliant boy!"

 _"_ _It's Ogata-san. Remember the guy who's always wearing the white suit?"_

"Well, I suppose he is a lively company to keep around." He chuckled, glasses reflecting the blue light from the fish tank, the aquarium that Sai had always been fascinated with. "I forgot how long it has been since I've enjoyed someone else's presence in here."

"That's right. Aside from Hikaru I've never seen anyone else in here." Sai placed his finger on his chin thoughtfully as Ogata stood up to open the window and flipped out a cigarette.

"Well, if I do plan to bring someone home, I remember that you're always here and I lose all my will." He flatly retorted, covering the nicotine stick as he lit it up.

"I can leave. I can leave!" Sai flapped his hands around like he often does.

The blond leaned against the window and puffed away, smirking teasingly. "I have no interest in romantic liaison. Perhaps not for another three years." He stole a glance into the living room where he could see Hikaru still on the phone, then back at the ghost standing in front of him.

Defying all common sense in the world, he found himself being rather fond of Hikaru, and it wasn't entirely innocent either. He knew that the boy was scandalously almost half his age, but he couldn't help loving how bright and bubbly he is, smile so warm and sometimes full of mischief, attitude so approachable—pretty much everything that Ogata wasn't. Half the time when he smiled, people tend to think that he had some evil masterplan laid out in his head. Perhaps something involving utter annihilation of his opponent or the sort.

Hikaru was only 15, however. Not only did it not sit right with him, it would also cause media uproar if they found out, because gods, those journalists resembled FBI sometimes with the things they somehow were able to figure out. So, he deemed it wise to wait before he says anything to Hikaru. There was also the matter of the boy not liking men, but for now that was in the sideburner. He had gone through years without any serious romantic affiliation or even sexual gratification. 3 years wouldn't make too much of a difference, he thought.

However, seeing the silky purple hair, long eyelashes, thin lips and fair complexion of the man in front of him, Ogata found himself struggling to get his mind out of the gutter. All those years without sex had come back to bite him in the ass. It wasn't that he wasn't interested, it was that he liked go more than sex. If the person he's interested in wasn't too skilled or know nothing of go, he probably would drop them immediately as he didn't really have any other interest. Well, maybe fish. Fishes are great. Unfortunately, he could only talk about fishes for so long. On the contrary, if his partner is good at go, he probably would be playing them instead of having sex with them. Sometimes go is more intimate than bodily contact.

Ogata decided to chug the might-as-well-be-full can of beer on his hand, leaving Sai to stare at him in awe. Hopefully that would be enough to numb the sudden rise in libido swelling inside him.

"Shit," He cursed, wiping his lips using the sleeves of his blue shirt. "I'm gonna have a shower." Ogata decided. _"A cold one."_

It didn't take Hikaru long before he finished the phone call, grumbling as he stomped his way into the bedroom only to see that it was empty. He sat on the edge of Ogata's fluffy bed and sighed.

"Mum is still annoying sometimes!" Said Hikaru, hoping that Sai would be there with him.

"I'm sure she's just worried about you." Slowly approaching the boy, the spirit smiled even though he knew Hikaru could see nor hear him.

"It sucks how I can't see you." He mumbled, scooting up towards the pillow and lied down. "I wonder why you're Ogata-san's resident ghost now." Hikaru was convinced that such change had been very confusing for Sai too in the beginning. Was there a point for the gods to remove him from Hikaru and now push him to someone else?

It was obvious to Sai that he wasn't meant to reach the divine move as he had originally assumed. If that was the reason why he couldn't rest, why couldn't he stand by Hikaru the whole way there? He, too, had taken some time to think about it. Perhaps he wasn't there for his own benefit, perhaps he was there to help others realise their true potential—he had concluded.

"It's my match against Touya in three months, Sai. It really makes my heart race. I can't wait to beat him!" He chuckled, hoping to claim a victory against his rival and make everyone stop glorifying him as if he was the only decent young player.

"You'll do well, Hikaru! I'll teach you as much as I can!" Sai answered with the same amount of excitement.

Hikaru rolled so he was face down on the bed before he grabbed a pillow and hugged it. "Ogata-san turned out to be pretty alright, huh?" Hikaru let his bleached bangs drop messily on his forehead before taking in a deep breath after the long match he had that afternoon. "He didn't exactly give the best impression when he forced me to arrange a game between you two. Well, at least now his wish came true."

"That it did, and he doesn't disappoint." Sai smiled. "You seem to have grown quite an attachment to him, haven't you, Hikaru?"

The room was engulfed in silence as Hikaru caught a whiff of Ogata's expensive, branded cologne that as much as he hates to admit, liked. "Considering how much he smokes, his suit probably smells like tobacco. Even though he's rich, I doubt he's going to spray some cologne after each cigarette session, right Sai?"

"The amount of sticks he smokes each day has reduced though, now that you're always with him. It seems he might be a lot more thoughtful than he lets on." Sai mused while covering his lips with the oversized sleeve.

.

That cold shower had got to be the most refreshing shower that Ogata had ever taken in his life. Not only did he wash away the sudden warmth rising in his stomach and lower half, it had also helped him to regain some sort of control over his thoughts.

Slinging the towel around his neck, he put on some pants and short-sleeved shirt before walking out of the bathroom and into the bedroom where Hikaru was rolling around in his bed, pillow in his arms. Ogata stopped himself before he could think about how adorable it was.

Seeing the Ogata Seiji with loose blue t-shirt and baggy pants was enough to make Hikaru burst out laughing, choking on his spit and cough all within 3 seconds.

Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Ogata inspected himself by looking at his attire before he caught on. "Yes, I wear something else aside from suits."

"I'm sorry—" Hikaru laughed. "—It's just, I thought—" He continued for another five seconds. "—I thought you sleep in your suit!" Despite having slept over numerous times, Ogata had never bothered to change from that signature blue shirt of his. "Anyways." He took a deep breath, finally calming down. "A game, Ogata-san?"

The 10-dan sat in front of the goban, cheeks starting to flush after the beer he had chugged. Well, not that it mattered. "Sai?" He called out, and the spirit responded by sitting next to him.

"No. I want to play you." Hikaru grinned, quickly assuming seiza on the other side.

So they did. The game stretched for over an hour until the younger boy resigned and immediately passed out on the futon, arms and legs sprawled wide.

"We haven't even started reviewing yet, brat." Ogata scoffed and stopped reconstructing the match at move 8. What a handful, he thought to himself. "I don't know how you handled him." Said the bespectacled man to the spirit next to him.

"You are handling himself quite well, Ogata-sensei." Sai let out a smile and a small chuckle. "A game? Or is it time for you to rest?"

"You can wake me up at 3 in the morning after I passed out and threw up, and I'd be more than happy to play." He closed his eyes, letting out a breath of amusement. He had dreamed of playing him for months prior to their meeting, and now he had been given the honour to. Ogata didn't to miss even one chance of getting the better of Sai.

"I will remember that." The spirit replied with a streak of mischief in his tone.

.

Ogata wasn't exactly sure how it happened or if he even realised what he was doing After the 3rd game he played that night, several cans of beers downed and at 2 AM in the morning with Hikaru's loud snoring in the background, somehow he ended up in front of the computer to play some NetGo using Hikaru's—Sai's account.

He was a little tipsy, but sober enough to not play any wrong moves. Grabbing the glass of water resting next to the mouse, he chugged all of them to re-hydrate himself after all the alcohol he had consumed. Currently, he was playing the 5th game and the number of spectators had jumped from 5 to over 150. In the beginning, he had to deal with a lot of messages telling him to fuck off and to stop tainting the name Sai. Now, they were all silent.

"You're very popular." Ogata mused, as he clicked on an empty spot on the go board. "I guess your mystery's part of your charm."

Sai let out a small smile. "You don't play NetGo, Ogata-sensei?"

"There's not many skilled players. Besides, now that I have you here, I have even less reason to play NetGo. After all, I can just ask for a game and you would never turn it down."

"One of the benefits of being a spirit is that you never get tired." Sai giggled while trying to think of a good next move. Most of his games had been a teaching game, but that was fine. Sometimes the best way of learning is teaching.

"Silent teaching, huh?" Adjusting his glasses, Ogata smirked. He had realised that it wasn't Sai's true strength. "Do you have anything to say to them or did you want to keep yourself shrouded in mystery?"

"I'm content by guiding them to the right path. If they are truly dedicated to go, they will understand what I'm trying to teach them." Sai answered before specifying where he wanted to move and soon after, the opponent, an amateur 2-dan, resigned.

 _"_ _It has been an honour, Sai."_ The player typed on the chat.

"Do you need to sleep, Ogata-sensei? It's almost 3."

"I can go for a few more games if you'd like. Playing your games make me understand what you mean by my go being 'cold'. Besides, I don't have anything tomorrow." The 10-dan shifted his body to the side slightly so he was able to rest his arm on the backrest of his seat. "Did you want me to arrange a game for you with Touya-sensei?" He asked, thinking that it would be a great way to learn.

"Touya Meijin," Sai closed his eyes, recalling the moves he played a few months ago. That was one of the best games he had played in his life. "I do would like an honour to play against him once more." Thinking about him made him shiver in excitement. "You have been very kind to me, Ogata-sensei."

"Well, it's not like I'm not reaping benefits of letting you play. It's a win-win." He chuckled.

Sai found himself staring at the screen of the magical box in front of him. Even though he had initially thought that he would not get along with the 10-dan, things took a surprising turn. He found himself being rather fond of the man, in a different way that he loved Hikaru's presence. Ogata's passion and love towards go is truly charming. He carries himself with confidence in a way that make people admire him.

Had he been a human and not a spirit, perhaps he could try to say something about it. Alas, he couldn't ask for more than he was already given. It would be selfish to.

"So, one more game?" Ogata cut through the silence, bringing Sai back to reality.

Sai smiled warmly. He knew that his time was not unlimited, and he was uncertain as to what would happen after his job is finished. However, he thought that he would make use of the time he was given to play what he always loved.

"Are you playing NetGo?" Hikaru's voice was loud in the silent room. He rubbed his eyes, yawned and stood up to approach Ogata. "Sai is playing?" His expression brightened in an instant and he placed his arm on Ogata's shoulder.

"Go back to sleep, brat. It's 3 AM." The older man said without even bothering to look at Hikaru.

"Make me." He stuck out his tongue. Ogata said nothing, but he raised his arm to ruffle Hikaru's hair. "Euuurgh, stop!"

Sai chuckled at the interaction and he shifted his eyes from the two, towards the monitor and a smile bloomed on his lips and he said softly,

"One more game."


End file.
